Cinnamon & Safety
by ICanSeeYourFace
Summary: Donald first sees her at auditions, and Lilly Onakuramara puts a spell on him. It ends several months later with cinnamon sticks and empty cups. Oneshot about Barden University's two resident acapella beatboxers and their relationship. Rated T for language.


**A/N**: Inspiration is a funny thing. Believe me, I've been trying to update my other fic, but I've either been busy or haven't been conked on the head by inspiration. And then came Pitch Perfect. And Donald. And Lilly. Fic-searching ensued, and this fic would probably have gone unwritten if not for** that-moment-between-strangers**'s brilliant collection of Lilly/Donald-oneshots called _We're Adorable Aca-Bitches_. If you guys haven't read it, you should.

This was originally meant to be a multi-chapter story, but somewhere along the road, I found it worked better as a oneshot, divided into six episodes. It's my take on how Donald and Lilly's relationship evolved from the auditions and beyond Donald's graduation. The lyrics found in Episode V are from Ed Sheeran's _Firefly_. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters or storylines from Pitch Perfect. Neither do I own the lyrics of Ed Sheeran.

* * *

_Cinnamon & Safety_

I.

The first time Donald sees her is at auditions. The Trebles usually make it a sport to psych the Bellas and the people auditioning. After Aubrey's cookie toss at the ICCA's, it's almost too easy. And this year's selection? Bumper has barely started when the dude-who-is-not-a-dude takes the stage. From there it just goes downhill. Until _she_ takes the stage. She is such a small little thing. Hair down to her waist, saucer-like eyes and a voice that barely carries over a whisper.

When she starts singing, even Bumper shuts up, although he later says it was because otherwise he "wouldn't be able to come up with any good burns for the little freak". But Donald is already sold. Her timid manners combined with her fragile soprano has him in a vise. None of the other Bella-bound girls can compete. Not Cynthia Rose the Not-Dude, not Stacie the Possible Maneater, not Jesse's crush Beca.

He plays along with Bumper and the other Trebles when they joke about the new Bellas during the hood night celebration party. Most jokes revolve around Aubrey-proofing the seats, and getting as many of the new Bellas kicked off. But in his mind he knows:

Lilly Onakuramara has put a spell on him.

He moves around the crowd, always keeping an eye on her. He dances with Kori, who is painfully obvious in her advances. He passes her off to Unicycle, knowing what will eventually happen. Although Donald would normally do his best to get a Bella kicked out, tonight he passes. Instead, he watches Lilly. The look in her eyes is a little less deer-caught-in-headlights, but then again, it's not exactly home made lemonade that's being passed around in cups tonight.

He's not exactly sure when he gets home. He knows he had to pry Bumper away from Fat Amy, and that, at some point, Justin the Audition Assistant had his annual breakdown because he can't carry a tune to save his life. One thing stands out, though. He said "hi" to her. Never mind that he couldn't hear if she answered.

_Houston, we have contact._

* * *

II.

She comes alive when she sings.

When Beca leads them with _No Diggity_ (and it's an awesome performance) during the riff off, the real Lilly peeks out. She is edgy, she sings like she believes it, and when she shoots at the Trebles with the imaginary gun, he grabs his chest as if she hit him.

_Yeah, she did. Square in the heart._

It's the same on stage. Nevermind that their uniforms make them look like sad little flight attendants, or the fact that the 80's and 90's called and wanted their greatest hits back. Lilly looks alive, giving her all despite the Bellas being so painstakingly bad. Donald imagines he can hear her soft soprano, floating behind Chloe and Aubrey's strong voices. It's a small voice that says, "I am here."

Bumper continues to be a grade A-jerk, which makes it hard to share a dorm with him. His mission to bed Amy isn't going according to plan. Donald likes to believe it's out of some twisted frustration that Bumper tosses that burrito at her. It's not nice, but after all, it's the B-man. What can you do about it? It comes with a nice bonus, though. Amy apparantly forgets to gas up their minibus, and Bumper gets to play hard to get when Amy calls and asks if the Trebles can come pick them up. And by God, Donald has never been happier than the moment when he is asked to make a U-turn.

Soon, their minibus is filled with banter and not-so-subtle comments about the Bellas' set list. Up front, Donald's heart is thrumming, and he's beatboxing as cars drive by, angrily honking at them. He must do something, she's so close to him. She has parked next to him, hanging on his every beat. If he doesn't do something with his mouth, he will say something stupid and that would be the end of it.

"Nine miles, guys!" he calls out when he spots a mile marker.

In the brief silence that follows, his mind flies a thousand miles and back. And then he hears it. A soft voice, accompanied by an unmistakeable beat. She is beatboxing. He looks at her, almost in disbelief.

"That's pretty good," he tells her encouragingly.

"I set fires to feel joy."

The words are barely audible, but they're there. She's talking to him.

"That's adorable," he deadpans, deciding not to care that she basically admitted to being an arsonist.

Out of the corner of his eye, Donald can see a satisfied smile on her porcelain face. He picks up her beat, and they sync rhythms all the way to the semifinals. Unfortunately the happy moments end there. He can't believe it when they do the same boring set list. It's like they're not even trying. Nevermind Beca's futile attempt at creating an impromptu mash-up. It throws them off, sending the Bellas home after the most aca-awkward showdown in history. He actually feels bad for them, for Lilly. Aubrey's got a shitload of talent right under her nose and she can't even see it.

No one ends up getting arrested this time. Beca is nowhere to be found when they round up the two groups to go home. The ride home is eerily quiet, Bumper doesn't even brag 'til he's blue in the face. Lilly sits next to him once again, silently making beats that no one but Donald can hear. She really is good, she just needs to be heard. And he knows just how to make that happen.

While the others are exiting the bus, he quickly finds an old receipt and a pen, scribbling down a date, time and place. He crumples up the receipt, and hurries off after Lilly. Feigning bumping into her, he slides the piece of paper into the pocket of the hideous flight attendant jacket, figuring she will have to wash it. Preferably within the week. Then he walks off, full of hope.

* * *

III.

Donald glances anxiously towards the door. Will she not come? What if she didn't check her pockets before washing the Bella uniform? What if she hasn't washed it at all (which is kind of gross to even consider, but still)?

A cacophony of sounds erupts behind him. The battles are starting.

He found them during his sophomore year; the unofficial beatboxing club at Barden University. While the Treblemakers are all rigorous practice and well-rehearsed choreography to perfectly arranged songs, the beatboxing's... less formal. No regular meetings, no dresscode, no practice. Time and place is posted on a rudimentary webpage that can only be found if you know how to. You either find the club or it finds you.

Finally, he gives up. She's not coming. She has probably gone home, starting spring break early. Turning around, he enters the ring, watching the battles go down.

About an hour later, he's pulled into the center to battle a guy he knows he's seen in a class somewhere. It doesn't matter. Donald locks focus on creating beats and rhythms, mash-ups and drumlines. Whoever the guy is, he's a worthy opponent, but he yields eventually. Donald allows himself a moment of pride. Then he hears it. A staccato beat. A challenge.

_Bring it on._

He whirls around, ready to kick some more ass, but he halts at the sight.

Lilly.

She stands there awkwardly, in a yellow buttondown shirt and jeans that look like the machine that made them barfed on them. The beat is confident, but her eyes are bulging. Did she not expect him to be here? No, she had to know, he decides. She had to suspect once she saw what this was. Who else would tip her off about a beatbox showdown?

Out of courtesy, he lets her finish before he steps up to answer her challenge. He raises the bar slightly, wanting to test her limits. She's a fast learner, and the longer they go on, the more relaxed she becomes, no doubt spurred on by the cheers from their audience. They go on for what seems like an eternity before she finally yields when the combinations become too complex for her to counter and mimic. She's met with applause, and he offers a hand to show he appreciated the challenge. She warily shakes it, studying his face for signs of douchery. He doesn't blame her for thinking this might be some sort of trick. He's a Treble, she's a Bella. Lilly quickly exits the ring, and the next hopeful steps in. Donald wants nothing more than to follow her, but he really doesn't want to forfeit either. He hopes she will still be here if and when he's defeated.

Fifteen minutes. That's how long he can keep up with the artsy guy in the blue beret, the one who stepped up after Lilly. The kid is sick, he counters every drumline and combo Donald throws at him. When Donald picks up the drumline from _Don't stop the music_, the kid segues into a dubstep version of the song. How the hell do you counter that? The answer is, you don't, and Donald yields, applauding the guy before leaving the ring.

Normally, he'd be just a little pissed that he got one-upped (especially by a guy wearing a freaking beret), but not tonight. Lilly. She's all he can think about. Scouring the room, he finally spots her in a corner, alone, watching the battles while humming to herself. He approaches her, and when she spots him, she immediately stops humming.

"Hi," he greets her politely, moving in closer so he can hear her.

She doesn't answer him, and he keeps his eyes trained on her face, her mouth, so as not to miss a single word.

"You were good out there," he continues, gesturing towards the circle. "You got some sick beats up your sleeve."

"I once smuggled a frozen turkey in a hat."

He can't help but laugh. Lilly looks at him, eyes blank and unblinking, as if what she said was completely normal.

"Why do you do that?" he finally asks, biting back the laughter. "Blurting out the strangest things, talk in a way that makes me feel like I need a hearing aid."

She eyes him without saying a word. His question seems to puzzle her.

"Because it's safe," she whispers after a moment's silence.

He's about to ask what she means, but she continues before he can put his question in words.

"No one cares about me. No one has ever listened to me. No matter what I said, they ignored me. This... all of it... It's easier than speaking up. The things I say... They're not completely untrue."

"So you do set fires to feel joy?" Donald has a sinking feeling that this conversation is about to end badly.

"I light candles. They make me happy." She smiles shyly and shrugs.

"And the turkey?"

"No turkey, not frozen. I forgot to bring a grocery bag, so I stuffed as much as I could in my knitted cap and put it on my head. I looked like a circus freak."

From there, things get easier. She's still a bit guarded, and doesn't reveal much about herself. She's from Chesapeake, she lives alone on campus, and she learned beatboxing from a cousin. Mostly they talk about beatboxing, and Donald explains the idea behind the beatboxing group. He writes down the address for the webpage, so she can find them again, and gives her tips about how to develop her skills. By the end of the conversation, Lilly is talking in normal volume. She has come alive again, and the image of her face and smile follows Donald home that night. Lilly Onakuramara. Who'da thunk?

* * *

IV.

They see each other again during spring break. Both of them have upcoming midterms, and with most of the Bellas and the Trebles off partying, spring break on campus gives them both an excellent excuse to take a break from singing. Donald first catches sight of her during lunch. Unsure of whether it's okay to sit with her or not, he takes a table next to her, and they spend lunch peeking at each other over piles of books.

It takes him another two days to muster up the courage to say "hi". So far, they have acknowledged each other with a nod, eaten their lunch, hidden behind their books and then left with another nod and an awkward smile. He can't stand it anymore.

"Hi," he greets her on their third awkward lunch meeting.

"Hi," she sighs, pushing aside an enormous book.

"Midterms stressing you out?"

Lilly huffs, nodding to the pile of books. She then spies his own pile.

"Doesn't seem like you're any better off," she remarks.

"Three papers, one exam and two projects due Monday next week. My social life has officially been suspended."

"Four papers and two exams. I win."

"Oh, really?" he counters, leaning over his books. "Okay, you try writing a ten page essay on the integral principles of business, marketing and finance."

"Pssh," Lilly snorts. "I'm writing an essay where I have to diagnose five fairy tale characters with mental illnesses and prescribe a treatment. My childhood is ruined."

"Do I even want to know?"

"Cinderella suffers from approval addiction as a result of childhood negligence, manifesting itself as constantly seeking the approval of her stepmother, and agreeing to marry a man she has only met twice. Meanwhile, over here, Red Riding Hood suffers from PTSD and lupophobia after a wolf attack, Alice is a substance abuser, and I think the Mad Hatter is her supplier."

"Okay, stop, you're depressing me now."

She gives him a "no kidding"-look, and bangs her head against the table top.

The rest of their lunch break goes by mostly in silence. They both heave sighs and groan and browse through books, but they don't talk. Not until Donald realizes he was supposed to be across campus five minutes ago.

"Hey," he says as he packs up his things. "Sorry about the semifinals. Would've been fun to battle it out in the grand finale."

"It's okay," Lilly shrugs, and likewise begins to pack up her books. "We sucked. We lost Beca."

She sounds so flippant, but Donald can sense that at least the losing Beca-part has gotten to her.

"So... I'll see you around..?" It comes out a question, and he curses silently. Where the hell is his swag when he needs it?

She bobs her head in reply, and leaves, her shoulders slumping from the weight of her book bag.

The next day he sees her at the beatboxing meet. She's more comfortable, her demeanor not sticking out so much. She walks around, talks to people, tries to battle again. She's still Lilly, weird clothes and a bit wide-eyed, but she has changed. As Donald observes her, she gets a call. Whoever it is, it makes her happy. She jumps up and down, pumping a fist in the air as she ends the call a few seconds later.

_Interesting_.

"What up, dr. Fairytale," he says as he sneaks up behind her.

"Jeez! You scared me!"

He's about to apologize when she gives him a friendly smack on the arm.

"And did you have to remind me? I analyzed Belle last night, and now I wanna die."

"O...kay. So, who called you? Seemed like good news."

Her face instantly lights up with excitement.

"You're not gonna believe it. We're back in!"

"Back in what?" Donald asks, confused.

"The finals! The Footnotes were disqualified. We're going to the finals!"

Before he knows it, she has thrown her arms around him, hugging him. She's so small, so delicate. Slowly, he wraps his arms around her waist, hugging her back.

"So, what are the odds we get to hear something else than the snooze-medley?" he asks when she lets go of him.

"Bleak..." Lilly mutters sullenly. "It's so stupid. I want to tell Aubrey to change the set list, I've been wanting to tell her the whole semester, but... But..."

"But what?"

"I can't. She scares me."

"You're afraid of Aubrey?" he asks incredulously.

"She patronizes us, she doesn't listen. She keeps nagging me to speak louder. I just... I cant."

In that moment, her phone buzzes. She picks it up, and heaves a sigh when she reads the text.

"Aubrey again," she tells him dejectedly. "Bella-meeting tomorrow when everyone's back on campus. I gotta leave."

She's shrinking already, fading back into Quiet and Invisible Lilly. Without saying goodbye, she turns on her heel, making her way out of the building. Donald is left standing there, not really knowing what to do. He hopes like hell at least one of the Bellas has grown a pair during spring break.

* * *

V.

As a Treble, it is his duty to inform the other guys about the Bellas being back in the competition. He just neglects to mention his source. No one is worried, not even Donald himself.

Then the B-man drops the bomb.

He's leaving. What the actual fuck is this back up-singing about? When did Bumper have time to fix that? Donald freaking lives with the guy, and he has no idea when this happened.

Just like that, their frontman is gone.

In the week that follows, he tries to find Lilly. He wants to know what happened during the meeting with the other Bellas. And, since he ratted out their secret to the Trebles, Donald figures he might as well reveal that Bumper is history, and they've replaced him with Benji (who has so far kept the creepy behavior on the down low). But Lilly is nowhere to be found. She's not at the next beatboxing meet, or the one after that.

In fact, the next time he sees her is at the finals. He has to look twice. The Bellas are almost unrecognisable. The flight attendant outfits are gone, they actually look like they belong in this century. Beca is back, talking under her breath with Stacie and Ashley. Lilly looks like a total badass; skinny jeans, yellow tanktop, the yellow Bella-scarf hanging from one of her backpockets. All through the Trebles' own performance, he wishes time could go faster. He wants to know what the girls have in store.

When the moment comes, it blows his mind. First of all, Beca has managed to somehow dethrone Aubrey. That, if anything, is a sure sign that the snoozefest will not be repeated. But it's more than that. They fucking own them. They have energy, sass, a well-rounded set, and when Jesse raises his fist, they all know it's a done deal. The Bellas will win this. Surprisingly enough, it doesn't feel like such a disaster. Donald watches Lilly move on stage. She seems to have found herself now. There is no hint of hesitation in her eyes or the way she acts on stage. She is an animal; a beautiful, sleek, rocking animal.

Later, he spies Beca and Jesse kiss, and he realizes, that, despite the obvious perks of being a single guy in college, there is something about togetherness that appeals to him more than promises of phone numbers and easy hook-ups. There has never been a girl that he has felt strongly for. None of the girls he has hooked up with (and granted, there have been a number of them) have been like... well, like Lilly. Compared to her, every other girl is transparent and uninteresting. Lilly is a mystery wrapped in a shroud of quirks, a person you have to get to know, and Donald wants to know her.

He glances over to the rest of the Bellas. While most of them are looking at Beca and Jesse in awe and approval, Lilly is looking straight at him. For a split second, he swears they share one of those moments where they can read each other's thoughts. Both of them yearning for something more, for a cure against loneliness. Lilly gives him a timid smile, before Fat Amy carts the Bellas off "to give Shawshank and Pretty Boy a moment".

When the Bellas win, he breaks the most sacred rule B-man ever set down for them. He claps. He joins in the applause as the girls take the stage and hoist the trophy in the air, shouting and laughing in triumph. They deserve it. Screw B-man. One after the other the rest of the Trebles join in, some more hesitant than other. Donald doesn't care. He has made up his mind. He's not under Bumper's thumb anymore, nor are the Bellas under Aubrey's. He will not let Lilly slip through his fingers.

He plans his moment carefully. Some might even say it's a bit obsessive. He wants it to be perfect. That, however, means he has to involve other people. In the end, the choice is quite simple. If anyone can get Lilly away from her room, it's Fat Amy. She's quite happy to help. Through her, he also enlists Cynthia Rose, who will get him the key to Lilly's room. From there, the planning flows quite smoothly.

When the day finally comes, he's anxious. He wants to skip the waiting and jump straight to the ending. Nevertheless, he makes his preparing round, waits until Fat Amy texts him that Lilly is out of the dorm. Fifteen minutes later, on cue, Cynthia Rose texts him to meet at Lilly's. He hurries over, and finds her waiting.

"You so much as think about screwing Lilly over and there won't be a safe place for you anywhere," Cynthia Rose warns him as she unlocks the door to let Donald in.

He simply nods and walks in with his bag of stuff. The door clicks shut behind him, and he looks around the room. It's a pretty standard single room, but Lilly has made it so unmistakably hers. It's colorful and loud in its own way. The walls are covered with posters of bands he has never heard of and the picture hangers don't display framed photos, but serves as hangers for a selection of clothes. He recognizes the dress she wore for the audition, the Bella jacket and the knitted vest she had on the last time he saw her at the beatboxing meet. He notes the absence of photos, which he finds odd. Donald may be a guy, but he has pictures of his family in his room; a picture of him and his brother and sister, one of his mom and dad. He finds it odd that Lilly doesn't have anything that connects her to Chesapeake, at least nothing he notices at once.

Suddenly, his phone beeps.

**From: Fat Amy  
**_Heads up, hot chocolate! Lilly's heading back, will be there in 5!_

Shit! How did that happen? He had planned this so well, Fat Amy would send Lilly off on her scavenger hunt once Cynthia Rose got back with the keys, and he'd have plenty of time to set this up the way he wanted it. Donald looks around the room and rummages through the bag he's brought. Candles and music. Lots and lots of candles. It's all he has time for. Quickly, he places the small tea candles all around the room, lighting them as he goes, turning Lilly's room into a candle-lit temple. He leaves an empty spot in the middle, where he sits down and readies his iPod while he waits for her.

Sure enough, not two minutes later, he hears a key turn, and the door slowly swings open. Quickly, he stashes the iPod in his pocket. She warily steps into the room, her mouth a surprised O as she takes in the sight. Her eyes eventually finds his.

"Hi," he says, hoping like hell she won't run.

She doesn't. Her face is unreadable. She hasn't even said anything crazy yet.

"I... I set fires for you," he then blurts out and nods to the many candles, figuring that someone at some point has to say something insane.

Lilly doesn't say anything, but she smiles, looking from the candles to him. Donald gets up and walks over to her, taking her hands. He guides her back to the empty spot, and they sit down.

"Look, this was not the original plan," he begins, still holding her hands in his. "I had this whole... You know what, it doesn't matter. The thing is, you are the most incredible girl I've met. You're weird and beautiful and you beatbox and you're weird..."

"You already said weird." Finally she talks, her voice a soft whisper.

"Because I like that you're weird," he hedges with a slight smile. "And I have this feeling, like, if I don't do something now, I will end up regretting it more than I've regretted not throwing Bumper a few well-earned punches over the years."

She snickers, and he feels like such a sap for thinking it makes her look adorable.

"Is this a date?" she then asks, peering at him under her eyelashes.

"If things had gone according to plan, it would've been much clearer. But yeah, it is."

And then he doesn't know what to do. She was supposed to have found her way back to Amy, who would've handed her a basket with snacks, but now... There is nothing. He has absolutely no idea where to begin, and frantically walks through his plan in silence, searching for a moment to pick up from. In the end, Lilly does it for him. She scoots over next to him, leans in and presses her ear to his chest. He wraps his arms around her, holding her while she quietly presses herself into his embrace.

"I like your heartbeat," she says after a while.

Donald smiles. He understands it's Lilly's own way of saying she likes him. He hugs her tighter, and she beatboxes in time with his heartbeat.

"Lilly? Why do you have clothes hanging on your wall?" he asks, glancing at the mismatched items of clothing on the wall to his left.

"To remember."

"Remember what?"

"I wore that to the auditions." She points to the patterned dress. "I still had it on when Chloe called and said I had been accepted into the Bellas. I wore the vest when Aubrey called and said we were back in the finals."

"And the blazer?" he asks expectantly. What could she want to remember by keeping the flight attendant-uniform?

"That's when you first talked to me. And you were nice. You didn't look at me like I was an alien. You looked at me like I was important and... normal."

That's when he decides: Screw the plan. Screw the fancy things he was going to say to her. How could this have turned out any better? Donald scoops her up, careful not to get her too close to the candles, and just holds her close. She is more than he could ever have dreamed of, more than he feels he deserves. He inhales, drawing in the scent of her silky hair. It's intoxicating, and he almost has to force himself to pull away so he can look at her face. Lilly is absolutely calm. No wide eyes nervously trying to avoid his gaze, no quivering lips unsure of what to say. Slowly he leans in, allowing her to register his intent. His lips press against hers in a soft and tender kiss.

"You smell like cinnamon and safety," Lilly sighs contentedly when they finally break the kiss.

He can't help but snicker a little. The cinnamon he gets, it's perfectly okay, but the safety throws him off for a second. She is still clinging to him, nuzzling up against his chest, her head just under his chin. He thinks about her statement, then decides it might be the nicest thing anyone (save perhaps his family) has ever said to him. She feels safe with him, he makes her feel at ease. He kisses her on the head, whispering back:

"I'll never let anything happen to you."

He suddenly remembers the iPod in his pocket, and he picks it out. Pressing play, he waits for the guitar intro, and starts singing along. It's not the kind of music he usually listens to, but it just fits perfectly for the situation.

_I fell in love next to you__  
__Burning fires in this room__  
__It just fits__  
__Light and smooth__  
__Like my feet in my shoes__  
__Little one, lie with me__  
__Sew you heart to my sleeve__  
__We'll stay quiet__  
__Underneath shooting stars__  
__If it helps you sleep_

She dozes off in his arms, and Donald sits there for the longest time, listening to her rhythmic, shallow breaths. The tea candles go out one after the other, filling the room with their dry, bitter smoke. He contemplates moving, putting Lilly in her bed, maybe open a window to air out the smoke. But as soon as he shifts, she gives the most heartwrenching whine, and he can't make himself let go of her. Instead, he carefully pushes the candles closest to them aside, wriggles off his cardigan and bunches it up to use as a pillow. He tries to hold Lilly perfectly still as he lowers them back onto the floor. She shifts, turns her body flush against his, heaves a sigh and continues to sleep.

Donald can't remember when he drifts off to sleep, but he is awoken by loud bangs on the other side of the door. He opens his eyes a slit. The light feels blinding, but a few things strike him:

a) Lilly is resting on his arm

b) his glasses have disappeared

c) his head is resting on a pillow and both of them are covered by a blanket

"Lilly?" he whispers, stroking her hair back.

"Hmm..?"

"Lilly, I think someone is trying to get in."

She groans, and pulls the blanket over her head. The loud knocking continues.

"If they can't see me, I'm not here," comes her muffled voice from under the cover.

"They can't see you either way. You're on this side of the door, while they're outside," he comments with a smile.

"Yeah, well, it's worth a try."

_"Lilly! You open this door right now, or the kraken will be unleashed!"_

The voice is familiar, Donald's heard that one before, even if he was busy mouthing off to that Tonehanger. Fat Amy. Apparantly, the threat of the kraken is enough to force Lilly to surrender. She sits up, her hair a mess, and tosses the blanket aside.

"I'll get rid of her," she tells him and limberly gets up, stomping over to the door.

He tries to come up with a good way to make himself scarce, but the only thing that pops up is Lilly's trick of pulling the blanket over his head. He takes a deep breath, and pulls the sticky blanket over his head, making sure all of him is covered. He can hear Lilly open the door, and Fat Amy greeting her with something that sounds suspiciously like _"flatbutt"_. The problem is, he can also hear other voices. The wheezy voice of Cynthia Rose, and... Fuck. The Bellas. They are all outside Lilly's door. Lilly is trying to fend them off, but soon he can feel the footsteps, too many to be only Lilly, and seconds later, the blanket is being pulled off him, and he is staring up into the face of Aubrey Posen. To say she looks shocked is an understatement, and in the awkwardness, Donald can't think of anything better to say than:

"Please, don't puke on me."

* * *

VI

The hardest part is leaving. Not that it will be for long, he will be back in town only six months later, but still. Donald counts those six months as the worst of his life. The feelings brought on by graduation are a mix of missing Lilly and campus life, and a sense of not having a god damn idea of what to do next. Being away from Lilly grates at him more than he expects, because it excludes a whole lot of things that has come to mean the world to him.

Aubrey never quite forgives him for the puke-comment, but she is smart enough to realize once she and Chloe graduate, Beca will most likely take over, and she will not be as nitpicky with the oath. Lilly doesn't get kicked out of the group, and whenever they meet afterwards, Aubrey is as nice to Donald as the situation requires. The Trebles take the whole thing surprisingly well. Not that Donald doubted they would take it any other way. They are nice to Lilly, even though he can tell they still find her a bit kooky.

Lilly is there with him when he graduates, meeting his parents and siblings for the first time. She tries really hard not to revert into Quiet and Invisible Lilly, and he is proud of her for making it through the meeting relatively unscathed. His family is nice, but Donald suspects that his mother finds Lilly a wee bit on the quirkier side. His suspicions are confirmed two weeks later when he temporarily moves home over the summer. He gets into a rather lengthy discussion with his mother when she asks why he can't date "a nice Indian girl". Their discussion goes on for days. Finally, his mother seems to understand. The way he defends Lilly, speaks of her quirks in a tone that is protective and kind... It speaks volumes, and Donald's mother realizes the quiet girl with the long black hair has won the heart of her little boy.

He throws himself into a job search-frenzy, wanting to move back to Atlanta as soon as possible. It takes him five months, nine interviews, two cases of "note to self: don't beatbox when you think no one's listening" and a lot of overselling, but he finally lands a job at a firm just a couple of blocks from the Barden University campus. He finds a small studio apartment, and Lilly joins him about a month after he's moved in, bringing a surprising amount of boxes with her. They end up calling the Trebles and the Bellas to help them move and unpack, but the entire thing quickly turns into a party. Unicycle disappears, and returns twenty minutes later with a keg, and the evening is doomed. Beca and the Bellas challenge the Trebles to a drinking game based on the cup-song Beca auditioned with, and there is no return to moving from there.

When the gang staggers home after midnight, half of Lilly's boxes are still unpacked, and the apartment is littered with empty cups, most of them not even used. Unicycle even managed to forget his damned unicycle in a corner. Donald shakes his head and walks over to the nearest box, opening it to see what's inside. A whole lot of everything, and he wonders if Lilly even has a system for packing stuff. He finds papers, books, ear rings... and a ziplock bag full of cinnamon sticks.

"Lilly!" he calls out, picking up the ziplock bag.

"Yeah?" Lilly sticks out her head from the bathroom, toothbrush hanging out the side of her mouth.

"What are these?"

He holds out the bag so she can see it. She disappears into the bathroom, emerging a few seconds later, without the toothbrush. There's a smile playing on her lips when she takes the bag from him, opens it and takes a short whiff.

"It's cinnamon," she then answers matter-of-factly.

"I can see that. Why is there a whole bag of it in your stuff?"

"Because when I got back to school and you weren't there, I missed you. So I bought a whole lot of cinnamon sticks to have in my room, so it would smell like you. Like cinnamon."

Donald smiles at her answers. He still remembers her sweet declaration from their first date, how he smelled of cinnamon and safety. This also explains why Fat Amy has kept on calling him Cinnamon Stick on Facebook.

"Did it work?" he asks Lilly, taking the bag from her and putting it back in the box.

She shakes her head. "It was only cinnamon. It wasn't you. It wasn't cinnamon and safety."

"And what about now?"

He leans in close, and Lilly buries her face against the curve of his neck, holding onto him for dear life.

"Now it's perfect," she mumbles contentedly, letting out a warm breath that tickles his skin.

Donald looks around the apartment. It's a new adventure. No more comfort zone, no more top of the food chain. But it's okay. He's got Lilly. And he knows there will be days when he'll regret everything, question his choices, fight with her. But she will still be there, and things will be okay.

"Yeah," he agrees under his breath. "Yeah, it is."

* * *

**A/N**: There it is. Hope you liked it. Please leave a review. :)


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